August 21, 2022 - May 21, 2023
Please check back for information on submitting a project proposal to the 2023-24 TED Fellows program.
What is the TED Fellows program?
The TED Fellows program is a redesign of the TED Alumni program with the aim of providing previous TED participants with an opportunity to collaborate on transatlantic group projects over the course of a school year. Groups participating in the TED Fellows program will meet once a month on Zoom to present on their progress and exchange ideas. The program will culminate with a project showcase in May 2023. The TED Fellows cohort and their projects will be featured on a new webpage on the EU Center website. All fellows will receive certificates upon completion of the program.
FAQs
How does the TED Fellows program differ from the Transatlantic Educators Dialogue (TED) program and the old TED Alumni program?
The TED Fellows program is intended for educators who have completed the first-year TED program to collaborate on longer-term projects with a transatlantic dimension. In contrast to the four-month TED Alumni program, the TED Fellows program will span nine months and involve monthly rather than weekly meetings, with the aim of providing participants with more flexibility and the time needed to carry out more ambitious projects.
How many project proposals will be accepted?
We expect to accept 5 project proposals this year. This is intended to keep the TED Fellows cohort at a manageable size in order to make sure that each group will be sufficiently supported throughout the program.
How large should the groups be?
We recommend groups of 5-6 teachers.
May I work on more than one group project?
No. In order to give as many teachers as possible the opportunity to participate in the TED Fellows program, we ask that everyone work on one group project.
What should the proposal include?
The proposal should include an explanation of the scope of your project, who or how many group members will be involved, what each group member would be responsible for, and project goals. If you are submitting the proposal on behalf of a group, please include the names of all group members (including yourself), along the following information:
- email addresses
- cities/towns and countries
- academic subject(s) taught, if applicable
- grade(s) taught or other educator roles (TED alumni do not have to be current K-12 teachers to participate in TED Fellows)
- year(s) in which they participated in TED
I already have group members in mind. May we submit a joint proposal?
Yes. Please include on the application form the names of your group members. Groups should not have more than 6 people. If you do not have a “full” 5-6-person group by the application deadline, please go ahead and submit your project proposal and indicate on the form the number of group members you still need. If your proposal is selected, we will work with you to find additional group members.
I have an idea for a project proposal but need group members. How do I go about finding other teachers to work with?
There are a couple different options:
1) Use the TED Fellows Flipgrid, Padlet, or one of the TED Facebook groups (please consider joining the private Facebook group for all TED alumni) to share your project idea and ask that interested teachers get in contact with you. Then, work together to submit a joint proposal. Please keep in mind that groups should not have more than 6 people.
2) Submit a project proposal, indicating on the form the number of group members you would need. If your proposal is selected, we will work with you to find other group members.
I want to participate in a TED Fellows project but do not have project ideas at this time. Is there still a way for me to participate?
Yes! We recommend that you create a Flipgrid video on the TED Fellows page introducing yourself and asking others to contact you if they are looking for group members. Please also keep an eye on the project ideas posted on Flipgrid, Padlet, and Facebook to see if any of them interest you. After we announce the selected project proposals in mid-June, we will put out a call for additional group members as needed.
Will project proposals submitted by groups be prioritized over proposals submitted by individuals?
No.
Where and when will the TED Fellows program meet?
The TED Fellows program will meet once a month on a Sunday over Zoom.
If you have questions about the program or would like additional information, please contact the TED Fellows Program Moderator, Jennifer Smith, at jsmit31@ilstu.edu and the EU Center Outreach Coordinator, Sydney Lazarus, at lazarus5@illinois.edu.
The EU Center is a National Resource Center funded through the US Department of Education’s Title VI Grant and a Jean Monnet Center of Excellence funded through the European Union.